IF YOU’RE ALL ABOUT
ISLAND-HOPPING:BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
Steady tradewinds and stunning turquoise
seas make this chain of 60 palm-covered
isles perfect for chartering a skippered
catamaran and spending a week
exploring. (For affordable options, go to
moorings.com.) It’s also a sweet place
to go bar-hopping by boat: Along with
the Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke (see
“Five Ridiculously Fun Beach Bars” for
more), try Willy T off Norman Island and
the Sand Box on Virgin Gorda. Rather
spend your nights on dry land? Bunk at
the Bitter End Yacht Club (doubles from
$400; beyc.com) on Virgin Gorda, where
sailing lessons and use of the resort’s
fleet are included in the rate. —J.M.IF A CRAZY-SEXY VIEW
IS EVERYTHING:ST. LUCIA
There‘s something about the Piton moun-
tains, those iconic jungle-carpeted
peaks, that makes you feel as if you’ve
flown to an exotic land rather than an
English-speaking island just a few hours
from home. You can take in their twin
profiles almost everywhere you go, from
the beach to the rain forest. But the best
vantage point may be from Jade Moun-
tain (doubles from $1,080; jademountain
.com), a luxe cliffside resort where every
room has an infinity pool and one wall
completely open to the elements—allow-
ing the two of you to wake each morning
to epic Piton views. —Kimberly WilsonIF YOU CAN’T DECIDE BETWEEN
THE CITY AND THE SEA:PUERTO RICO
In PR, you get the best of both worlds:
up-till-dawn night life and tropical coast-
lines. Start in San Juan, where you can
snap selfies in front of colorful mansions
by day and shut down salsa clubs and
discos by night. (For maximum access,
stay at the Hotel El Convento, a former
convent. Doubles from $275; elconvento
.com.) Then escape to Vieques, an isle
where design hotels like the W Vieques
(doubles from $360; whotels.com) draw
a stylish boho-chic crowd. Equally
magical: nighttime kayak rides in biolu-
minescent Mosquito Bay, where micro-
organisms put on a light show every time
you take a stroke. —K.W.1
Rick’s Café, Negril, Jamaica An island institution, Rick’s is the place to Instagram
Negril’s legendary sunset and watch cliff divers do their thing from the rocks
nearby. rickscafejamaica.com.2
Soggy Dollar Bar, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands Until recently, the
only way to arrive at this quirky drinks spot on White Bay was to wade through the
shallows from your boat (hence the name). There’s a road now, but the shack
still lives up to its legendarily rustic rep, with just a handful of tables and hammocks.
FYI, this is where the aptly named Painkiller rum drink was born. soggydollar.com.3
Beach Café at the Cotton House, Mustique Even if you’re not staying at the
hotel, you can boat over to this ultrachic bar and look for the celebs and
supermodels who are. Tuesdays are best: Locals and transplants all congregate in
their beachiest finery for beers and sea-to-table lobster. cottonhouse.net.4
Da Conch Shack & Rum Bar, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Set in the
oldest neighborhood in Providenciales, the 15-year-old spot on the Atlantic is
supplied all day by local fisherman. Split the conch “pistol” with your husband
and decide whether it deserves to be called an aphrodisiac. daconchshack.com.5
Iggie’s Beach Bar, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands On Carnival Night, locals and
visitors mix on the beach for fire walking and calypso. To lose your inhibitions and
join in, order a VooDoo Juice—a bucket full of Cruzan rum and just a hint of cranberry
and pineapple juice. iggiesbeachbar.com. —Heidi MitchellFIVE RIDICULOUSLY FUN BEACH BARS
GO TO BRIDES.COM/HONEYMOONS FOR MORE CARIBBEAN ESCAPES.TRIP TIP Time your visit
to the BVI’s epic Full Moon
Parties. For the biggest,
sail your charter to Cane
Garden Bay on Tortola and
catch a cab to the all-night
bash at Bomba’s Shack.344 F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 6GETAWAY
CATHERINE WESSEL/TRUNK ARCHIVE